LAKE CHARLES, LA- The McNeese soccer squad (2-4-1, 2-3-1 SLC) will return to Cowgirl Field this weekend to take on Central Arkansas (12-5-1, 3-3-0 SLC) Friday afternoon and Northwestern State (7-0-1, 5-0-1 SLC) at 1 o'clock on Sunday. The Cowgirls plan to play their first full match at Cowgirl Field on Friday after it was deemed unsafe to play on ten minutes into the Pokes season opener against Rice. Both Southland Conference matches this weekend will be streamed and available through live stats on the McNeese Athletics website at McNeeseSports.com. 
 
In their last face off with the bears the Cowgirls upset UCA at home in a 2OT golden goal from Delana Friesen. With 1:27 left to play in 2OT Friesen scored a game-winning header off a corner kick from Kiana Kukaua.  The Pokes have an 8-6-1 all-time series advantage over Central Arkansas. The bears lead the league in games played with a total of 18 games under their belt, after also playing in September and October of 2020. Sixth place UCA is 3-3 since returning to Southland Conference action.
 
"UCA is coming off a weekend where they found their scoring punch and they have always been a team that can go off and put multiple goals in at any time," said head coach Drew Fitzgerald
 
McNeese will be tested on Sunday when the league leading Lady Demons make their way to Cowgirl Field. Northwestern State is led by, husband and wife team, and co-head coaches Jess and Anna Jobe who are yet to lose a match this year. NSU is known for being one of everyone's toughest match and not only have elite starters but an arsenal of players on the bench who can perform just as well. The Lady Demons are led by goalkeeper Acelya Aydogmus who has only allowed two goals all season.
 
"NSU sits on top of the league for a reason," said Fitzgerald. "They've picked up where they left off last season.  Really well organized, hardworking and increasingly dangerous in the attack, their use of a formation that we don't see every weekend makes them a particularly difficult match up."
 
The Cowgirls last outing was an exhibition last Sunday at Louisiana Lafayette that saw a 1-0 win over the Cajuns. After being on the road for the last two weekends the Pokes are ready to battle on their home turf. After struggling with injuries early in the season McNeese now has a healthier squad and all the pieces are beginning to fall into place. There has still been a few injuries since then and the Pokes will be without one starter and two others.
 
"We are approaching full strength, and no one goes through the season without some injury challenges.  It's on us to find ways to win the matches in front of us."
 
In her five games played Havana Johnson leads the squad in goals, with three, and shots, with 14. The Cowgirl defense is backed by senior goalkeeper Emma Roccaforte who has overcame multiple injuries last season and early on this year. Fourth year head coach Drew Fitzgerald will look to get his team back in the win column this weekend.
 
"We saw a couple nice changes against ULL on Sunday that we hope to carry over," said Fitzgerald.  "The team did a better job of keeping possession in general, but specifically in not turning it over in bad spots or immediately after we began transition to attack.  We need to do a better job in our midfield transition still and obviously we have to work to create more opportunities than we have been."